


Drabbling In Labyrinth

by dynamiteinherhair



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Drabble, Drabble Collection, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-01-17 19:51:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1400374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dynamiteinherhair/pseuds/dynamiteinherhair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Labyrinth related drabbles written in response to one word prompts</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Missing

**Author's Note:**

> I recently joined a Labyrinth comm over at LJ which posts regular drabble prompts. These are my attempts to fill the prompts. I've only done two so far, but hopefully this will be a long-running thing, so this collection will grow over time.

**Missing**

Sarah watched him walk away; another failure.

It was always the same - too bland, too outrageous, too arrogant, not arrogant enough; there was always something missing. On the surface they were perfectly acceptable, yet…

They're not him, a secret inner voice whispered. She pondered her reflection in the mirror.

Maybe it was his ultimate revenge for her final refusal; now she couldn't imagine anyone but him. Maybe she would drift through life believing something was missing. It was almost enough to make her wish things had ended differently.

Almost…

I wish… she thought, not daring to say the words aloud.

* * *

 

"Missing, what do you mean MISSING?!" Jareth raged.

"Gone, majesty" the goblin trembled as he delivered news that Toby had vanished whilst in his care.

"FIND him" Jareth hissed, as Sarah entered the throne room.

"Give me the child"

"I… can't…" Jareth looked perplexed "He's… missing"

Sarah's heart sank; I came all this way for nothing. Anger took over.

"New terms then Goblin King. I did your bidding, solved your Labyrinth, yet you refuse me my brother"

"Terms?" Jareth asked.

" Find him, or else fear me, love me, do as I say..." she gave a wicked grin.

"I will be your slave?!" Jareth paled.

"Exactly"

 


	2. Fool

**Fool**

 

“Delicious” the king declared, placing the spoon back into the glass. “What was it called?”

“Peach Fool,” the girl replied, “a speciality of the new girl you assigned to the kitchens, Majesty.”  
  
“Peach?!” he gaped.  
  
“Yes, Majesty. The girl, Sarah, will be along soon, said she wanted to be here as your world fell down. Didn’t understand her myself, but I promised to tell you” she sounded worried.  
  
Jareth looked up, and Sarah walked through the door as everything started to sparkle and spin. The last thing he remembered was her radiant smile, and then he was lost.  


* * *

  
“The fool is on his way, Your Majesty”  Hoggle bowed.  
  
Sarah cast a disproving glance at Jareth.  
  
“Don't look so severe, dearest, you know it's tradition.  Every court has it's fool…” Jareth reasoned.  
  
“Besides, he entertains our son” he murmured, gazing lovingly down at a small white haired boy with striking eyes, who beamed up at them, then yanked on his father’s long hair, chuckling, as Jareth responded with a pantomime cry.  
  
Sarah raised her eyebrows. “Perhaps there’s more than one fool around here” she observed without malice, enjoying the happiness of the two most important people in her life.


	3. Letter

**Letter**

When it finally reached her, the age-worn, crumpled envelope bore a veritable patchwork of crossed-through addresses.

She felt amazement; each redirection traced her route across various American states, to France, and finally England.

She'd travelled far and wide, running from her past.

The elegant scrawl shimmered ethereal so she knew the sender without question.

The content of the letter hardly mattered, for the envelope spoke volumes - he'd tracked her over cities and across oceans with a clear message -  _you cannot escape your fate._

Her latest address vanished and a new line appeared; simply - Sarah Williams, The Labyrinth.

* * *

'In 9 hours 23 minutes the Goblin King must die. Come  **NOW!**  Pay _HUGE_  ransom…  **OR ELSE!**  Sincerely, Revolting Goblins.'

The scrawl was barely legible.

_Revolting in more ways than one_ , Sarah thought grimly as she grabbed a crossbow from the wall rack, and slung it over her shoulder; destined once more to become goblin hunter.

There was no overwhelming urge to save the King's life, but the notion that his fate was ultimately in her hands held a certain appeal.

Kitted out with enough weapons to conquer a goblin army, Sarah muttered the words aloud.

"I wish…"

* * *

“She’s SO annoying. YOU don’t understand; you don’t have a sister!” Alex fumed.

“I did once.” Toby fingered the tattered edges of an ancient envelope, his most valued possession in the world.

Alex ceased bemoaning his sibling, watching with disbelief as Toby elaborated.

“My sister saved my life. She tried to rescue me from great danger, but the magic was too strong, so she traded her life for mine.”

“No way!” Alex snatched for the envelope but Toby was faster.

He took the letter out, his eyes drawn always to Sarah’s parting words - _Live well, Toby, and remember me…_


	4. Broken

Jareth paced furiously, casting malicious glares at the thirteen hour clock which until now had reliably (if not entirely truthfully) counted down Sarah's time.

"Your Majesty?" Hoggle asked fearfully.

"The infernal thing is BROKEN, look!"

He gestured to the stationary golden hands, the time frozen at 9pm.

"Now the girl has all the time in the world to complete the Labyrinth!"

"Oh no, Your Majesty, surely not!"

Hoggle carefully tucked the small handful of golden screws and cogs into his pouch of treasures and backed away from the irate king, a great sense of accomplishment lightening his step.

* * *

The idyllic parkland looked perfect, but Sarah, clutching the fresh bouquet, felt numb, convinced imagination would never thrive again.

An owl perched overhead, watching her trace her father's name on the headstone.

It flew closer, observing her unending tears. In a flourish of feathers Jareth stood beside Sarah, placed a hand on her shoulder - it faded straight through.

Sarah never realised she was not alone.

Unable to reach her, Jareth couldn't tell her he would always be there, waiting, until she herself began to mend; he would wait forever.

In owl form he soared overhead, keeping pace with the broken young woman leaving the cemetery.

* * *

"He should be talking by now Robert, I don't like it."

"He's still young, just give him time."

Sarah watched the ever-silent Toby, and felt fearful.

She saw the way his eyes rarely focussed on the near-distance, like he was staring off into another world, one far more captivating than anything reality could offer.

Toby would not speak, Sarah knew; he was in the thrall of something beyond understanding, and it was  _her_  fault.

_I asked for the child he had stolen, but he only gave half of him back, because he KNEW…_

Inevitably, Sarah knew she must make another wish.


	5. Path

Toby surveyed the lifeless bodies sorrowfully.

He placed gentle fingers over Hoggle's eyes, closing them forever, and laid Sir Didymus's sword across his chest reverently.

Toby had incited Rebellion in the name of Sarah, who many years previously had offered herself - in his place - to the Goblin King.

The fallen had died in her name, to restore her freedom, yet as Toby looked upon his sister for the first time in adulthood, the slavish way her eyes lingered on the vanquished King made him question whether he had led them in an unnecessary crusade, down the wrong path entirely.

* * *

She dashed onwards, but yet again the arrow-straight path threw up another brick wall, then veered out at a right angle, and Sarah changed direction.

The process repeated several times, until Sarah was literally running in squares, tired and exhausted.

"Do you give up yet?" A gloating voice echoed between the walls.

Sarah paused, recalling an old lesson, then proceeded forward cautiously towards the wall, her hands outstretched, wary should she meet resistance.

It didn't happen, and she stepped right through onto another path, free from illusions.

"I will never give up" she affirmed, and continued towards the centre of the Labyrinth.

* * *

The woodland path sprawled endlessly on this glorious summer afternoon. The canopy of foliage overhead made a dappled pattern of sunlight at her feet.

_Heavenly_  - she relished the serene tranquillity, a pause in her hectic life.

She walked further, and the path began to change. Trees became walls, the grassy path became solid, glittering stone.

_The Labyrinth_ , she thought.

"But I didn't wish!"

"No matter, Sarah."

The Goblin King stood before her, resplendent in black.

"Your path always leads to the Labyrinth, and the Labyrinth to me. I believe you humans call it fate. Why deny fate?"

He smiled knowingly.


End file.
